7
A29 South of Ockley to Charlwood - 9 miles (Start point TQ144367)
Parking off the A29 at Okewood Hill in a layby opposite the Punchbowl
Inn at TQ133374 and roadside parking in Charlwood (The Street) at
TQ241411
A pleasant mix of field and woodland paths with conveniently placed pubs
at Friday Street and Rusper.
After crossing A29 at TQ144366, follow concrete access drive to Denne Farm.
At farm, walk between buildings and on along hedged track.
After 250 yards, turn left along grass track, still between high hedges.
Where enclosed path ends go ahead across field, over gated bridge across
stream and on in same direction across next field.
Cross culvert and follow left-hand fence.
After 60 yards, ignoring track to left, go ahead through bridle gate and follow
woodland path.
Leave wood through second bridle gate, go left for 10 yards, then right
through farm gate.
Clear tree-lined path takes you out to join lane (Weare Street) at TQ147375.
Turn right and, after a quarter of a mile, about 100 yards beyond stream
crossing, fork right along Smugglers Lane, also the access drive to Oakdale
Farm.
Ignore drive to left and, where concrete drive ends, go ahead along wide
gravel-surfaced path between hedges.
Where enclosed path ends, go forward, passing well to left of barn and
continue along farm track.
Pass between buildings at Wattlehurst Farm and, just past last cottage and
garden on left, turn left through two gates and go ahead along left field
edge.
In far left corner, go through bridle gate and follow woodland path.
Leave wood through gate and follow left field edge.
In field corner, turn left through double-width gate to right of shed and go
forward along hedged grass track to gate.
Go ahead through farmyard to pass through second double-width gate and
turn right.
Follow farm access drive out to A24 at TQ173378.
Turn left for a few yards, cross A24 then go though metal field gate and
ahead along left field edge.
Cross railway and keep to left edge of next field also.
Continue along fenced path, then out via access drive track from bungalow
at Ridge Farm to join road at TQ181378.
Turn right and, after 200 yards, just beyond stream crossing, turn right over stile
and go ahead across pasture, skirting to left of dirt-racing track.
Go through metal gate and on in same direction across next field.
Cross plank bridge, track and second small bridge, then veer slightly right
across next field to find two stiles sandwiching another plank bridge.
Cross next field, joining and following right field edge. In corner, go through
gate and through belt of trees and on in same direction across field beyond.
On other side of field, ignoring bridge and gate ahead, bear left along field
edge.
Go through gap in corner and along right edge of next field also.
In corner, go ahead through gate and bear right along drive from cottage
out to road at Friday Street (TQ185369).
Turn left, passing ‘Royal Oak’ PH on right and within 100 yards, just after
passing gateway to ‘Howells Gill’ on right, turn right over plank bridge and
stile and go ahead along right edge of small field to second stile.
Head slightly left across horse paddock to next stile.
Turn right along access drive and, after 60 yards, fork left across grass, passing
to left of small wood-built house.
Go through gate and ahead along right field edge.
After 100 yards, go right over stile and bear left for 60 yards to go over stile
into woodland.
Join track, coming from right over substantial brick culvert and turn left.
After 30 yards, ignore left fork.
After 300 yards along woodland path, leave wood through kissing gate and
follow right field edge with wood on right.
After about 250 yards, go right through second kissing gate, back into wood,
and after 15 yards, turn left.
Shortly, where path divides again, fork right, soon dropping steeply down to
footbridge in a deep gully.
Climb roughly hewn steps.
At top of slope, turn left along clear woodland path.
Leave wood over stile beside gate, go forward along right field edge to gate,
on to kissing gate, then along right edge of recreation ground to join road at
Rusper.
Turn right using convenient segregated path to right of road.
Just past Rusper Church and Plough Inn, turn left along signed path.
Bear left through partially landscaped area.
From far left corner of this area, go ahead along enclosed path, through
swing gate and on along clear path between fields.
Pass through gap in tree belt and immediately turn left along enclosed path
between fields.
At fork, follow path half right into wood descending to footbridge.
Go straight up slope to leave wood and follow left edge of two fields with
wood on left.
Ignore the path through wood.
Approaching second field corner, bear half left into wood, and go ahead
along woodland path.
At T-junction, turn right.
Emerge from wood, follow left field edge to stile in field corner, and go
ahead through tree belt, cross stile and along left edge of second field
through metal gate, then short enclosed path to road at TQ215388.
Turn right and, at road junction, go ahead, signed to Charlwood.
Where road bends left, go right over stile and along right field edge.
When next to isolated oak tree at right of path, veer half left across field
towards farmhouse.
At circular concrete water trough, join and follow left field edge (on S side of
hedge).
In field corner, cross stile, go forward to gate in crossing fence and on in same
direction across large field, passing to right of isolated pond.
100 yards past pond, join and bear left along right edge of two fields, crossing
stile between fields.
In second field corner follow field edge round to left for 40 yards, then join
road over stile at Russ Hill (TQ228400) and turn right along road.
Just past main entrance to Russ Hill Hotel, turn right over stile and immediately
left along left field edge behind roadside hedge.
In field corner, re-join road verge for a few yards, passing Russ Hill House, go
through a small stand of pines, then cross another stile and continue behind
roadside hedge along left edge of two more fields.
In second field corner, emerge to follow roadside for 10 yards, then enter
signed enclosed path ahead which starts to left of drive to ‘Windacres.’
Where fenced path ends at stile, continue along left field edge.
In field corner, go through two gates and diagonally left across field ahead
across field. At field edge, go over stile, across track and another stile, then
follow stiled path along left edge of two fields, right edge of third and left
edge of fourth field.
Cross culvert and bear half right across field to kissing gate, then go right
through Charlwood churchyard and out to road through main church
entrance.
Route checked and revised Spring 2017